The Will of Robert Fiske of Norton, October 20th 1697

In the name of God amen. The 20th day of October Anno dom. 1697 in the 9th year of the reign of our Sovereign Lord William by the grant of God King of England Scotland & Ireland, Defender of the Faith.

Robt ffiske of Norton in the county of Suffolk yeoman being of whole mind & [...] memory laud & praise be given to almighty God. Does make & ordain this wrighting to be my very true last will & testament. In memory & forme following first & principler I comend my soule into hands of almighty God the Father, my maker. And to Jesus Christ my saviour whom & through whom I do assuredly trust to be saved. And my body to Christian burial at the discretion of my executor hereafter named and [...] such worldly goods as it hath pleased God to bestow on me to give & dispose as followeth.

In primio I give & bequeath unto John my son the house that Goodman Lusher [?] dwell in and all the outhouses thereunto belonging, and the 8 acres of Coppy Hold adjoyning be there more or less to him & his heires for ever. And also I give unto John my son one close of pasture called by the name of Symond Close containing by Estimation ten acres to him and his heires for ever. And also I give unto John my son and his heires for ever my brooke Medow containing by Estimation five acres more or less lying in Norton & Tostocke. All upon condition following. That he the said John my son pay unto Zacharias my son one hundred and fifty pounds or to his heires within six months after my decease. And also to pay Charles my son or to his heires thirty pounds within within three months after my decease. And also to pay Samuel my son five pounds within one yeare after my decease. And also to pay Martha my daughter thirty pounds or to her heires within one year after my decease. And my mind & will is that if John shall make any default of payment of any of those legacies above written then it shall be lawfull for them or either of them to enter upon my houses or any of the ground coppy or free or the medow till he have payd all the monny and legacies before given by me to Zacharias my son and Charles & Sam my sons & Martha Gall my daughter. And I doe give unto Robert Gall a way through my medow to drive at convenient times to [...] or to goe with a cart at such times as to doe as little damage as he can.

It. all my moneable goods and houselt stuffe that I have in my occupation and all my clothes & wearing apparell linen & woollen I give & bequeath unto John my son whom I do make and ordeine my sole executor for the true & faithfull performance of this my last will & testament and for the payment of my buriall & funeral charges. And also I doe give unto my sister Buckle twenty shillings if she be then living to be pay by my executor. And in token this is my last will containing one sheete of paper revoking all other willes by me made. I have hereunto put my hand & seale the day & year about written.

Sealed & signed in the presence of

[3 indistinct signatures]

Proved 23 Aug 1704 by the son John.